Coffee mug illustration

The Twin Cities possesses one of North America’s great inland ports due to the convergence of traffic from Mississippi River barges and the railroads. That’s why one of the nation’s biggest specialty coffee importers makes its headquarters here. From its home base, Minneapolis’s own Café Imports ships some 1.5 million pounds of coffee a month to small roasters, both in town and across the nation.

“I always say that the Twin Cities has this unique coffee culture,” says Joe Marrocco, education director with Café Imports. “It’s a blend between Midwest homey and inviting, and the coast cities’ focus on quality. Here’s where you can get your world-class coffee from a barista who is both friendly and educated.”

So what are the best spots in this, one of the nation’s best coffee cities?

Dogwood @ Forage Modern Workshop

Why does a modern home design star and artisan jewelry/home goods store share space with a Dogwood Coffee shop? Because top coffee helps you decide on the right couch, of course. 4021 E. Lake St., Mpls., 612-886-1585, dogwoodcoffee.com

Dogwood Coffee @ Rustica

The Cities’ top single-estate roaster co-located with its top éclair and bittersweet-chocolate cookie maker? That’s why we get the top quality-of-life ratings, folks. Live it, love it. 3220 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-822-1119, dogwoodcoffee.com

Spyhouse

Spyhouse

One of our premier third-wave roasters, with four Minneapolis stores and a new St. Paul location. Ironically, Spyhouse’s Northeast location sells its wake-up juice in a former Land O Nod mattress factory. But is it ironic or merely convenient that it shares a building with 612 Brewery? 945 NE Broadway St., Mpls., 612-345-4348, spyhousecoffee.com

Angry Catfish

Shopping for both the loftiest high-end cup of coffee and the choicest bicycles and urban cycling gear? How Minneapolis of you. 4208 28th Ave. S., Mpls., 612-722-1538, angrycatfishbicycle.com

Bachelor Farmer Cafe

The Bachelor Farmer Cafe

A fast-brunch gem, Bachelor Farmer deploys its exactingly trained baristas to showcase some of the country’s best coffees. The café also turns out exquisite cardamom buns and gravlax open sandwiches. 200 N. 1st St., Mpls., 612-206-3920, thebachelorfarmer.com/cafe

Penny's Coffee

Penny’s Coffee

La Colombe coffee, fantastic crepes, and a downtown location you can access through the always-warm skyways? That’s what makes Penny’s a favorite with locals who put on their mittens only for special occasions. (You’ll have to step outside to reach Penny’s Linden Hills location.) 100 Washington Ave. S., Mpls., 612-295-9761, pennyscoffee.com

The Café Meow

Uptown’s brand-new Café Meow lets you get coffee, from local roaster Bootstrap, while sitting with real live cats and considering whether to adopt them. 2323 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-212-8471, thecafemeow.com

Hygga Lowertown

Hygga Lowertown

The Scandinavian concept of winter indoor coziness called hygge is hot right now, and nowhere more so than at downtown St. Paul’s Hygga (across the street from the Union Depot), where it roasts its own coffee and makes a killer kolache, too. 213 E. 4th St., Ste. 100, St. Paul, 612-226-5033, hyggalowertown.com

Five Watt

A cult-favorite local roaster (with two Minneapolis locations and a future spot in St. Paul) where you can find coffees doctored up with bitters, tinctures, and special infusions. In sum, coffee drinks to bring cocktail snobs to their knees. 861 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls., 612-354-7189, fivewattcoffee.com

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Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl was born in New York City little aware of her destiny—to eat out a lot in Minnesota. Dara is the other half of our star food and dining team, working side by side with Stephanie March.